Railway-gate.



C. CANNOVA. RAILWAY GATE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1a. 1912 Patented Oct.21, 191-3.

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RAILWAY GATE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 13, 1912.

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RAILWAY GATE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13, 1912.

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canoenno CANNOVA, or SIOUX CITY, IOWA.

RAILWA -GATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

Application fll'ed July 18, 1912. Serial No. 109,253.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Canoonno CANNOVA, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sioux City, inthe county of Woodbury and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Gates, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to safety a liances in the operation otrailwaytrains and has for its object the construction of devices for theoperation of gate barriers at railway crossin 's.

The invention consists of levers connected to'the rails of the track andthrown by the wheels of passing trains, which levers and theirconnections are operated in pairs, that is, one on each sideofthecrossing, each being operated in both directions with reference to thedirection of the trains. When the train moves toward the crossingthe=levers operate to lower the gates, and when moved in the oppositedirection they operate to release the gates and permit them to be movedby counter weights to restore the gates. The means by which this isaccomplished are purely mechanical and automatic, no elec tricalbatteries or connections or manual devices of any kind being employed.

It is necessary in t e operation of gate barriers by mechanical meansthat warning to ,passers by be given of the lowering of the gates inorder that accidents caused by Ltheir unexpected lowering may beavoided. I have therefore rovided means for giving the warning to beoperated in connection with the gate device whereby the gates arelowered and by similar means, but as such means are somewhat differentlyconstructed and constitute another and separate invention,-I have notshown such means in detail in this application but have merely outlinedthe connection of the two systems.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawing in whichFigure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the invention as applied to a sectionof track included in the zone of the crossing, the track being in sideelevation, with an outline of the plan of operation indicated. Fig. 2 isa plan view of a section of track with gates and towers and some of thelovers for the operation of the gates, some of the parts being omitted.Fig. 3 is a side elevation of track with gates and towers, showing alsothe cables for the operation of the gates, a

:p'agrt of the view being in broken lines. Fig.

4 is a side elevation of one of the levers and its connections in aboxsccurcd to the railway track, the side of the box being removed and aportion of the plate and other parts in the box broken away. Fig. 5 is aplan view of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a cross-section on line aa, Fig. 4. Fig.7 is a crosssection on line b-b, Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a crosssection online cc Fig. 4 and Fig. 9 is a side elevation of. Fig. 8, each showingthe connection with the rails of the guide pulleys for the operatingcables. Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail showing one of the boxes for thepulleys carrying the cables secured to the track rail. Fig. 11 is avertical section of Fig. 3 through the pulleys, the cables beingremoved. Fig. 12 is a detail of operating lever partly broken away toshow the springs within.

Referring to the illustration, 1 is a track rail, 2 and 3 the gatetowers on each side of the crossing and 4 and 5 the gates, which arelowered toward each other over the crossing. The inner ends of the gatesare secured to mutilated spur wheels 6 and 7 secured to the respectiveaxes 8 and 9, supported in suitable bearings in the tower, andadapted tomesh with similar wheels 10 and 11 hearing the arms 12 and 13 which,when the gates are lowered toward each other over the street crossingare lowered away from each other over the sidewalk in the usualmallllel'.

The devices for operating the gates will now be explained: at somedistance from the towers on each side of the crossing boxes 13 and 13"are bolted to the rail and extend underneath the rail inclosingplunger-levers 14 and 14 and their connections. The boxes 13 and 13 arealike and but one is shown in detail. The plunger lever let extendsupward through a vertical slot in the rail 1, the projecting end being asharp angle the longer plane of which is outward or away from thecrossing, the two lovers being both so faced. The plunger lever ismortised out in the middle to accommodate the spring frame 10 and isprovided with a central slot 15, the frame. having two parallel rods 17hearing compression springs 18 operated by the vertically movable pivotseat 19 which moves on the guide pin 20. Through the opening 21 of thepivot seat passes the pivot bolt 22 on which the plunger lever 14operates, the pivot bolt being fixed in one side of the box and the headextending out through 'efl'cct upon the slot on the opposite side. Thesprings 18 restore the plunger lever to its upwardly projecting positionwhen depressed by the weight of the trains, as presently described. Thelower corner of the plunger-leyer is toothed at. 14, so as to engage amutilated rachet wheel, 23, carried by an axis,- 23?, journaled insuitable bearings in the box and carrying an arm, 24, to the hooked endof which, 25, is secured one end of a retractable spring, 26, theopposite end of which is secured to the wall of the box 13. A cable, 27,secured to the lower end of the arm 24, passes under apulley, 28, in thebox 13" and over the pulley 29 of a block, 30, secured to the flange ofthe rail, 1, for the Support of the cables. The cable 27 extends alongthe rail, supported at intervals by pulleys, 31, of blocks, 32, securedto the web of the rail, (Figs. 10 and 11) and over pulley 33, rotatablysecured to the flange of the rail, and is attached to a crank-arm, 34,carried by a shaft, '35, extending below and transversely of the trackand journaled in suitable bearings, 36, on the ties. At the ends of therod 35 are secured the arms 37 to the ends of which are secured cables38 which pass under the pulleys 39, pivotally secured in the towers, andare secured to chains 40 which pass over sprocket wheels 41 secured tothe axes 8 and 9. The chains are attached to weights 42 suspended by thechains from the sprocket wheels and adapted to raise the gates when thecables are slackened by gravity. 1 have shown the sprocket wheels andthe chains in butyoiie ot' the towers as all are constructed alike. Thecables 43 are secured to the opposite ends o t' the arms 37 and passinto the towers 3 over similar pulleys and sprocket wheels for theoperation of the gates 5. It will now be observed that a train passingover the box 13, in the direction of the crossing, by dc n'essing theplunger-lever 14, the lUttllLil portion of the latter, 14, will engageand turn the mutilated ratchet wheel :I. and thus cause the attached arm24 to pull the cable 27 thus raising the crank-arm L4 and turning theshaft 35 which causes the arms 37 to pull the cables 38 and 43 towardeach other and lower the gates by means of the chains and sprocketwheels previously described. The successive passage of trucksover theplunger-lever 14 will cause the latter to be alternately depressed'bythe weight and raised by the reaction of the springs 18; but, after theratchet wheel has been turned to a position where no teeth areengageable by the plunger-lever, further reeiprocations of the latterwill have no the ratchet. wheel, which is prevented from returning toits normal position by the engagement of a dog, 44, ful- ('llll'lttl inthe frame of thibox at 45 and having an off-set near its outer end adapting it to pass through a slot, 46, in the box plate. The dog isconnected, by a link, 46, with an arm, 47, carried by a short shaft, 48,free t6 turn in the box frame. The dog, 44, is held in engagement withthe ratchet wheel by action of the attached spring,'49, the lower end ofwhich is secured to the bottom of the box.

I will now explain how the gates are released by the passage of trainsover the plunger lever on the opposite side of the crossin so that theyare free to be raised by the welghts as already described. \Ve haveassumed that the train which set the gates, for purpose of illustration,was passing from the right to the left of the track and i the gates werelowered by the operation of the lever 14 in the box 13. On the otherside of the crossing is placed the similar box 13 with similar plungerlever 14*, but with the plunger lever and other devices in the box ifacing in the opposite direction. For convenience of illustration I willrefer to the box 13 in describing the effect of the train upon theplunger14 as the train moves away from the crossing and the gate israised. As the wheel of the car strikes the plunger lever, as 14, on theshort plane of the anglegas shown in Fig. 4, the lever is thrown uponthe pivot 22 into the position shown by the dotted lines, a space beingmortised into the box to admit it. Near the toothed corner of theplunger lever is secured a pin 50 to which is attached a cable 52 whichpasses over a pulley on a shaft 54 secured to the box frame, Fig. 6,

and under the pulley 55 on the shaft 56 in the lever box and over pulley29 in the i block 30. To the shaft 4-8 is secured a tri angular shapedlever 57 to the lower end of which is attached a book 58 to which is cited a-cable 52 The latter passes under the pulley 28 in the box 13 andover the pulley 29 in the block 80. The cables 52 and 52 also pass overthe respective pulleys 31 and 31 in the blocks The cable 52 of the box13 is linked with the cable 52 of the box 13, and the cable 52 of thebox 13 is linked with the cable 52 of the box 13" intermediate betweenthe two boxes. so that the pulling of the cable 52 in either box pullsthe cable 52 in the other box. As the plunger lever 14 in the box 13" ismoved into the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4, the cable52- of the box 13* is pulled by reason of the change in the posi tion ofthe plunger lever, which pull is communicated to the cable 52 in the box13, moving the lever 57 to the left. as indicated by the arrow, whichturns the pivot or shaft 43 and raises the lever 47, link 4G and theouter end. of the dog 44 which releases the dog from the sprocket wheel23, permitting the spring 26 to restore the wheel. to normal positionfor engagement with the teeth of the plunger lever 14. The lever 57operates against a friction roller Sl-on the pin and when pulled back bythe cable 52* carries with it. the lever it to permit the ratchet wheel23 to pass to its norn'ial posi tion The plunger lever in the box 13 hasnwanwhile remained vertical, except for the movement caused by the lever57, while the plunger lever M in. the box 13* has assumed the positionshown by the dotted lines in Pig. 4. and the plunger lever ll rest/Jaredto vertical position by a spring secured to one side of the box and to apin (30 secured to the lever at the point of a V-shapcd mor ti.--.c inthe plunger lever, prmided to accoininotlate the spring to the changesin position of the lever. \Vhen the train nears the crossing from theleft the gates are operated bythe plunger lever 14 oppositely disposedfrom the plunger lever 14, a cable 27 corresponding to the cable 27,passing over the pulley 33 l ig. 3, and connected in similar manner tothe end of the cranlearin 34, operating the gates heretofore described.

As the operating boxes are some distance apart and the cablescorrespondingly long, I have provided means for increasing the tensionof the cables and restoring them to normal position after each closingof the gates. Coil springs (30 and 61 are twisteo into the respectivecables 2'! and 52 at the side forward of the pulleys 29 and 29, theopposite ends of the springs being secured respectively to the box 13and block 30 on the side of the pulleys from which the cables arepulled. A similar spring 62 is similarly attached to the cable 52 on theother side ol the pulley 29 and secured to the block ill). Similarsprings 63, 64 and (in are. similarly secured to the blocks 32 andattached to the. respective cables 27, 52 and 5'2:

is the alarm or warning signal is operatr-il in connection with the gatedevices, or may be so operated, and by means somewhat nrtilarl althoughdescribed in detail and ilfiiiit'tl in a separate application, I have moin the diagrammatic view, Fig. 1, the alarm boxes (36 and the cables 67and 68 operating the gong (it). In Figs. 8, 9 arl lo the gong cable (37is shown in the iin l-ls 3.30 and 32, the same blocks making m isi n torboth sets of cables, the cable assing over the pulley T0 in the blockit) and having a spring attachment 71 se cart! to the block 32.

.ts my invention may be modified and made applicable to variousconditions of railroad service Where the construction and operationrequire, I wish to claim broadly all applications of my invention to theuses and purposes described which embody the general principles of theinvention as herein set forth.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is..---

l. The combination with gates at cross ings adapted'to be restored bycounter weights when released, of duplicate controlling devices locatedon opposite sides of the crossings and each comprising a slotted rail; aretractable plunger-lever pivoted therein on a Yerticallyqnovablcfulcrum; means actuated by the vertical movement of said plungerdeverfor closing the gates; means for holding the gates closed; meansactuated by the longitudinal movement of said plunger-lever forreleasing the means holding the gates closed.

2. The combination with gates at the crossings adapted to be opened bycounter- Weights when released, of duplicate controlling devices,located'on opposite sides of the crossings and each comprising aplunger-lever supported on a verticallymovable fulcrum and adapted to bedepressed by trains moving toward the crossing and oscillated by trainsmoving from the crossings, means tor retractin said plungenlevcr aftereach vertical and on tndinal movement; a ratchet means contro led bysaid plungerlever; means controlled by said ratchet means for closingthe gates; means for holding the gates closed; and means for releasingthe last named means.

3. The combination with gates at the crossings adapted to be opened bycounterweights when released, of duplicate controlling devices locatedon opposite sides of the crossings and each comprising a toothed plungeradapted to be depressed by passing trains; a toothed wheel operatedthereby; means for closing the gates; a flexible link between thetoothed wheel and said closing means; means for holding the gatesclosed; and means for retracting the plan" gor when depressed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twowitnesses.

(JALOGllRO CANNOVA, llit ncsses:

H. (l. Gsnnmvnn, M. S. CRAIDALL.

